Railway flat car bridging plate



Oct. 17, 1961 'J. A. JOHNSON RAILWAY FLAT CAR BRIDGING PLATE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 20, 1958 INVENTOR. Johwdoimsmz RAILWAY FLAT CAR BRIDGING PLATE I g Oct. 17, 1961 J. A. JOHNSON 3,004,500 Filed Aug. 20, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fig. 5.

INVEN TOR.

L/bkmwz U s t Pa -1 i The invention described herein may be manufauctured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalty thereon.

The present invention relates to bridging plates for spanning the gaps between adjacent fiat cars during the loading and unloading phases of a so-called piggyback operation in which highway vehicles such as truck trailers and the like are loaded on flat cars for long distance transportation and are unloaded from the flat cars at the terminal. l t a When a series of railway flat cars have been assembled into a train for transporting highway vehicles, there are gaps between the adjacent ends of the fiat cars which prevent highway vehicles from being loaded and moved from one car to another without the provision of some spanning means between the ends of the adjacent cars. Structures known as bridge or bridging plates have been provided for this purpose and have been tried in various arrangements. Existing bridging platearrangements have failed to provide entirely satisfactory performance or have required unduly complicated and expensive structures. In the present invention, the plate is hinged at one end to the associated fiat car, but it is hinged in such a manner that it occupies no otherwise usable space when in its retracted position and can be moved between its retracted or inoperative position and its operative posi tion with a minimum of manual effort and in a minimum time. It is also simple in construction and requires no expensive mechanism, while at the same time it provides a bridging structure of adequate strength and durability for the intended purpose. It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide an improved bridging plate having an angularly disposed hinge of simplified construction which causes the plate to move through an oblique or skewed angle as it is moved between its inoperative and operative positions and at the same time to provide reinforcement for the plate.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a bridging plate which, when in its retracted or inoperative position, rests on one longitudinal edge and extends transversely across the adjacent end of the flat car where the' plate occupies no otherwise usable space and does not interfere withthe load as the plate is moved between its operative and inoperative positions.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a bridging plate of simplifiedconstruction which can be moved between its operative and inoperative positions with a minimum of manual effort and time and without endangering personnel.

Further objects and a more complete understanding of I the invention may be obtained by referring to the follow- 'ing description and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which show an illustrative embodiment of the construction forming the basis of the invention and in which:

1 FIG. lis a top plan view of a pair of bridging plates in operative position between adjacent ends of two flat .c'ars; 5

FIG. 2 is a top plan view similar .to FIG. 1 showing the bridging plates rotated to their inoperative position; and l a V 'FIG. 3 is an end view of a flat car with a bridging plate attached and rotated to the inoperative position.

Referring to the; drawings, numerals 1 and 2 indicate 3,004,500 Patented Oct. 17', 1 961 details of construction will be described with reference to plate 3.

Plate 3 is of elongated, rectangular shape having a length somewhat greater than necessary to span the gap "between flat car beds 1 and 2 and having a width sufficient to carry wheels of highway vehicles passing from bed 1 to bed 2. Plate 3 is secured to bed -1 by hinge structure shown generally at 6. Hinge sleeve 7 is rigidly secured, as by welding, to the end of flat car bed 1 at a location inwardly from one corner of the bed a distance somewhat greater than the width of plate 3 so that plates 3 and 4 will be spaced from each other a distance to provide a track-way to accommodate the passage of highway vehicles from bed 1 to bed 2. Sleeve 7 extends partly above and below surface 8 of bed 1 so that the sleeve 7 extends through the top end edge of the car and is disposed at an acute angle to surface 8 and at an acute angle "to end edge 9 of bed "1. Both of the acute angles defining the position of sleeve 7 are approximately in the range between forty and fifty degrees. This skewed position of the hinge assembly orients the sleeve 7 so that the longitudinal axis thereof may be considered as defining an acute vertical angle with the horizontal surface 8 of the flat bed of the vehicle and defining an acute horizontal angle with the vertical end surface 16 of the flat bed vehicle. For the plate to assume a vertical position when stored or retracted the hinge axis should make an angle of approximately 48 degrees, when viewed in plan, with the longitudinal axis of the car and an angle of approximately 40 degrees between the hinge axis and the horizontal. The ends of sleeve 7 are perpendicular to the longitudinal center line or axis of the sleeve so that both ends are disposed at acute angles to surface 8 and edge 9 of bed 1. I

Two hinge butt elements 10 and 11 are secured to plate 3 and are spaced apart a distance to closely receive sleeve 7 therebetween. Element 10 may be substantially flush with the top surface of plate 3 or, as illustrated, may extend slightly above the top surface of the plate to provide space for a greater length of sleeve 7. Element 10 projects from an inner corner of plate 3 and has surfaces disposed parallel to and overlying the upper end ofsleeve 7. Hinge pin 12 extends coaxially through sleeve 7 and terminates at one end in hinge butt element 10 and the other end in element 11. Element 11 is an elongated bar extending diagonally across the underside of plate 3 from the corner of the plate adjacent to the hinge sleeve 7. This bar is rigidly secured to the plate to provide a reinforcementor stiffener for the plate and .apertured extension which is spaced from the under surface of: plate 3 and underlies the lower end of sleeve 7. This extension receives the lower end of hinge pin 12. The hinge butt members 10 and 11, which are secured to the bridging plate 3 and which serve as bearings for'the hinge pin 12 passing through the sleeve 7, secured as above described to the end of a railway fiat car, serve to support the bridging plate 3. This structure permits the bridging plate 3 to be manually rotatedthrough an oblique arc about the hinge pin 12 from a horizontal use position to a substantially vertical stored position. The corner of bridging plate 3 connected to hinge butt 10 is cutoff diagonallyas at 18 and cut out portion 17 provides about sleeve 7 when manually moved from the stored 7 position as shown in FIG. 3 to the use position to bridge the space between adjacent cars. By providing a hinge structure in which the connections are not tight, the plate 3 can be made to lie flat on both railway cars and avoid the, undesirable situation in which the hinge would support one end of the plate when in the use position; i.e., a limited amount of clearance between the hinge pin 12 and sleeve 7 will definitely prevent the hinge structure 6 from supporting the load while holding the bridging plate 3 in its general longitudinal position when in use.

When bridging plate 3 is in its inoperative position (FIG. 2), it is substantially perpendicular to surface 8 of bed 1; and edge 13 of plate 3 rests on surface 8 and extends across surface 3 at a slight angle to edge 9 of bed 1 so that end 14 of plate 3 is spaced inwardly from edge 91 to avoid interference with bridging plate 4 in its operatlve position and with the movement of bridging plate 4 between its operative and inoperative positions. The slight angle between plate 3 and edge 9 is obtained by establishing the angle of hinge sleeve 7 at greater or less than forty-five degrees but within the range of forty to fifty degrees as previously described To hold the bridgmg plate in its inoperative position, any suitable latch or hook, not illustrated, may be used.

When the bridging plate is moved manually from its operative to its inoperative position and vice versa, I plate 3 rotates about hinge pin 12 and sweeps through, an

oblique are.

I claim:

l. In combination with a flat bed vehicle capable of being coupled in spaced apart end to end relation to a similar vehicle, a bridging structure for spanning the space between adjacent ends of coupled flat bed vehicles to facilitate the passage ofroad vehicles along the beds of the coupled vehicles, said bridging structure comprising a hinge assembly secured to one end of a flat bed vehicle and a plate member connected to said hinge assembly for rotation about the axis of said hinge assembly from a position of rest on one edge of said plate on the horizontal surface of the flat bed vehicle to a substantially horizontal position of the plate to permit spanning the space between adjacent coupled flat bed vehicles, said hinge assembly having an upper portion thereof projecting above the horizontal surface of the fiat bed of the vehicle the axis of said upper projecting portion forming an acute angle with the horizontal surface of said fiat bed vehicle, and a lower portion projecting below the horizontal surface of the flat bed vehicle, said upper and lower portions having a common axis oriented in a skewed position relative to the meeting edge formed by the horizontal surface of the flat bed vehicle and the depending end thereof and to the plane of said plate in both said position of rest and said substantially horizontal position whereby said plate member maybe rotated from a stored position of rest on one edge of said plate member on the horizontal surface of the flat bed vehicle to a substantially horizontal use position wherein said plate member spans a space between adjacent ends of v coupled flat bed vehicles.

2. In combination with a flat bed vehicle capable of being coupled in spaced apart end to end relation to a similar vehicle, a bridging structure for spanning the space between adjacent ends of coupledflat bed vehicles to facilitate the passage of road vehicles along the beds of the coupled vehicles, said bridging structure comprising a hinge assembly having an axial hinge pin, and secured to one end of a flat bed vehicle and a plate member con nected' to said axial hinge pin for rotation about the axis of said hinge assembly from a position of rest on one edge of said plate member on the horizontal surface --zontal surface of the flat bed vehicle and inclined at an acute vertical angle to the horizontal surface of the fiat bed vehicle and a portion of the length of said axial hinge pin projecting below the horizontal surface of the flat bed vehicle and inclined at an acute horizontal angle to the end of the flat bed vehicle depending from the horizontal surface of the flat bed vehicle whereby said plate member may be rotated from a stored position of rest on one edge of said plate member on the horizontal surface of the flat bed vehicle to a substantially horizontal use position wherein said plate member spans a space between adjacent ends of coupled flat bed vehicles.

3. In combination with a fiat bed vehicle capable of being coupled in spaced apart end to end relation to a similar vehicle, a bridging structure for spanning the space between adjacent ends of coupled flat bed vehicles to facilitate the passage of road vehicles along the beds of the coupled vehicles, said bridging structurev comprising a hinge assembly secured'to one end of a fiat bed vehicle and a plate member connected to said hinge assembly for rotation about the axis of said hinge assembly from a position of rest on one edge of said plate on the horizontal siu'face of the flat bed vehicle to a substantially horizontal position of the platetto permit spanning the space between adjacent coupled flat bed vehicles, said hinge assembly having an upper portionthereof projecting above the horizontal surface of the flat bed vehicle and a lower portion projecting below the horizontal surface of the flatbed vehicle, said upper and lower portions having a common axis oriented to intersect the horizontal surface of the flat bed vehicle to define therewith an acute vertical angle, said lower portion being of substantially greater length than said upper portion, said axis being further oriented in a skewed position relative to the meeting edge formed by the horizontal surface of said flat bed vehicle and the depending end thereof and to the plane of said plate in both said position of rest and said substantially horizontal position, whereby said plate member may be rotated from a stored position of rest on one edge of said plate member on the horizontal surface of the fiat bed vehicle to a substantially horizontal use position wherein said plate member spans a space between adjacent ends of coupled flat bed vehicles.

4. In combination with a flat bed vehicle capable of being coupled in spaced apart end to end relation to a similar vehicle, a bridging structure for spanning the space between adjacent'ends of coupled fiat bed vehicles to facilitate the passage of road vehicles along the beds of the coupled vehicles, said bridging structure comprising a hinge assembly secured to one end of a fiat bed vehicle and a plate member connected to said hinge assembly for rotation about the axis of said hinge assembly from a position of rest on one edge of said plate on the horizontal surface of a flat bed vehicle to a substantially horizontal position of the plate to permit spanning the space between adjacent coupled flat bed vehicles, vsaid hinge assembly including a sleeve secured to the transverse end of said flat bed'vehicle and having an upper portion thereof projecting above the horizontal surface of the flat bed'vehicle, said sleeve inclined to the horizontal surface to define an acute vertical angle between the axis of said sleeve and the horizontal surface of the flat bed vehicle, a hinge pin extending coaxially through said sleeve and projecting beyond the upper and lower ends of said sleeve, said sleeve axis being further oriented in a skewed position relative to the meeting edge formed by the horizontal surface of said flat bed vehicle and the depending endthereof and tothe plane of said plate in both said position of rest and said substantially horizontal position, a top butt member connected to said hinge pin at the end projecting beyond the upper end of said sleeve, a bottornbut-t member connected to the end ofsaid hinge pin projecting beyond the lower end of said sleeve, said top and bottom butt members rota-ting freely together with said singe pin relative to said sleeve, said top and bottom butt members connected respectively to the top and bottom surfaces of said plate member whereby said plate member may be rotated from a stored position of rest on one edge of said plate member on the horizontal surface or" the flat bed vehicle to a substantially horizontal use position wherein said plate member spans a space between adjacent ends of coupled fiat bed vehicles.

5. A combination as recited in claim 4 wherein said plate member is configured as a rectangle and said top butt member is secured to said plate adjacent one corner thereof whereby said plate when in an operative position extends in the direction of its longest dimension to span the space between adjacent coupled vehicles overlapping the flat beds of the vehicles and when in an inoperative position the edge parallel to the longest dimension rests on the flat bed of the vehicle to which it is secured.

6. A combination as recited in claim 4 wherein said bottom butt element comprises an elongated arm of substantially greater length than said top butt element and extending substantially diagonally across the bottom surface of said plate and having the end thereof connected to said hinge pin lying in a plane parallel to the transverse plane of said sleeve.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,052,867 Cartzdafner et al Sept. 1, 1936 2,118,364 Sheehan May 24, 1938 2,159,479 Goodwin et a1. May 23, 1939 2,919,661 Caputo et a1. Jan. 5, 1960 

